


Full Steam Ahead

by Cerdic519



Series: Sanditon, Or The Sorely-Tried Alpha [9]
Category: AUSTEN Jane - Works, Sanditon - Jane Austen, Supernatural
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - 19th Century, Alternate Universe - Jane Austen Fusion, Anniversary, Dildos, M/M, Pie, Politics, Trains, Whipped Castiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 03:26:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16210430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerdic519/pseuds/Cerdic519
Summary: A furtherSanditonDestiel sequel. It is 1849. Three years after the burgeoning railway system reached Polegate a few miles north, Sanditon finally gets its own railway station. To mark this momentous event its two leading citizens ride all the way from London. And yes, that was a double meaning.





	Full Steam Ahead

**Author's Note:**

  * For [unexpecteddreamz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/unexpecteddreamz/gifts).



The Hungry Forties were aptly named, and the early years of Queen Victoria's reign were difficult ones for her country. The Chartist movement continued to push for much wider electoral reform, but was successfully resisted by a parliament still coping with the Great Reform Act of the previous decade. There was also a major political realignment caused by the terrible potato famine in Ireland and western Scotland, which it later emerged was brought into those countries by imported American produce – ironic considering the criticism from across the Pond both at the time and since.

Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel led the Tory Party which was against any relief for the suffering Celts, but he soon came to the conclusion that the only way to start improving matters was to abolish the hated Corn Laws, which were keeping grain prices artificially high. He reckoned correctly that his mostly landowners' party would not be happy and he was right; upon his achieving the end of the Laws he was forced out of office, his more reformist minded friends crossing to join the Whigs and form the Liberal Party whilst the rump Tories became known as the Conservatives.

The two major technological changes of the time were the introduction of the Penny Post in 1840, which saw a tenfold increase in letter-writing, and the rapid advance of the railway system. As often happened elsewhere the latter brought both good and bad; Sanditon suffered somewhat when in 1841 the direct line between London and nearby Brighton was opened, as more people flocked to the rival resort. There was naturally a push to connect the town to the network as soon as possible, but although the coastal railway between Brighton and Hastings reached Polegate a few miles north of the town in 1846, plans for a branch-line were scuppered by the collapse of railway mania later that same year. It was therefore full three years before Sanditon's first station was opened (it was later resited and improved) – which brings us to the events of our story.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Even considering that he was a teenager, young Master Henry Parker could do an impressive eye-roll. He nodded to both his parents as he joined them in their compartment of the first ever train between London and Sanditon, nearly at the end of a journey that had been four times faster than the infinitely less comfortable mail-coaches.

“Grandpapa says that grandfather is still 'indisposed'”, he said, his tone making it quite clear what he thought of that statement. His father smiled.

“I suppose it is good to know that being in their sixties does not stop them being them”, Scaden Parker said dryly. “We will have to get two of the footmen to help Father from the coach once everyone has gone off for the banquet.”

His mate smiled at him from across the carriage. Harry Parker né Fairhead, the first ever omega member of parliament. Elected for the seat of Lewes at the general election two years back, his presence had raised more than a few eyebrows at Westminster, but no-one had commented on it. Except for one rather foolhardy member who had not known that the new member's husband had happened to be lurking behind a nearby pillar, something he and his neck had found out the hard way.

“They really are terrible, Scay”, he smiled. “You know that the great and the good of Sanditon will wonder why their two foremost citizens are not present at the great event.”

“Provided they get their food later, I suspect they will not care that much”, Scaden quipped. “Besides, I saw the case that my papa was carrying when he got on the train, and the look of terror Father gave when he saw it. This journey was only going to end one way for _him!”_

“Father!” his son protested. “Really!”

He stormed outside into the corridor. His papa chuckled.

“I would not be so casual about that case”, he said pointedly. “Remember that I have my own one at home – and papa has a few new lines for us to try.”

It was really quite unbecoming for a member of parliament to gloat like that at his poor husband's suddenly increased breathing. But he was a Parker so he should be used to it.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Scaden Parker was swiftly proven all too correct. As was traditional there was a brass band, some overly long speeches during which Monseigneur Dean Parker oversaw the distribution of the coal¹ (whilst two footmen carried a clearly out of it Castiel to their carriage) and then the banquet. For the thirty-seven year-old alpha it all seemed far too long, especially as a dishonourable member of parliament kept giving him the sort of looks that said he would soon be joining his wreck of a father in Happy Land. 

The sooner the better!

“I arranged for some of the food to be sent onto the house for your parents”, Harry said as the great day finally began to wind down. “And yes, sir, I remembered your pie.”

“I _knew_ there was a reason I allowed you to marry Scay”, Dean said with a smile. “The rhubarb pie is particularly delicious.”

“I thought you would be staying with Father at the house?” Scaden said. His papa grinned lasciviously. 

“I had the men take him back there”, he said, “and I.... attended to him.”

His son and son-in-law both rolled their eyes at him. Dean shrugged. There was pie to be eaten, after all, and he could always 'finish' his alpha later.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Scaden did not tremble when, upon their return to the house, Harry asked (ordered) him to join him upstairs in fifteen minutes. Instead he went into the study for a stiff drink, to find he was not the only one with that idea. His brothers-in-law Magnus and Sweyn were both there, asleep on the settee. Scaden poured himself a drink and kept an eye on his watch.

His fifteen minutes were almost up when Magnus yawned and awoke.

“Sorry”, he muttered. “The twins had this new thing from their papa they wanted to try which was why we did not make it to the ceremony.”

“Better sex that steam”, Scaden quipped.

“You might not say that when you see the Expander”, Magnus groaned. “A pleasurer that can be increased in girth – whilst inside the victim. And I had to stand there and watch poor Sweyn take it like a man, knowing I was next!”

Scaden went pale, and looked at his watch. His fifteen minutes was up.

“Wish me luck!” he said as he left.

“You will need it!” Magnus muttered.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

He did!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

And so to the next instalment of Sanditon, _Golden_. It is 1858, nine years further into Victorian England and a certain couple mark their Golden Wedding Anniversary with all the propriety and decorum that one might expect. Which in their case is approximately zero.

**Author's Note:**

> 1) Because the arrival of the railway to an area usually led to a sharp drop in the price of coal, it was traditional for the first train to hand out sacks of the stuff to the poor as a sign of the better times to come.


End file.
